Hroši Brno Force Winner-Take-All Game 7 in Czech Series
Hroši Brno beat Kotlářka Praha 5-1 to tie the 2026 Czech Series 3-3 and force a winner-take-all Game 7 in Prague on September 19.
World Baseball News Editorial Team , 2 min read 
Cardion Hroši Brno have forced the 2026 Czech Series to a decisive Game 7 after beating Kotlářka Praha 5-1 at Markéta Stadium, turning a 3-2 series deficit into one final winner-take-all game for the Czech Extraliga championship. The title will be decided Saturday, September 19 at 1 p.m. in Prague.
Hroši entered Sunday facing elimination after back-to-back home defeats had put Kotlářka one win from the championship. Instead, Brno answered with the kind of two-way performance that has defined its postseason: timely power from Ryan Johnson and Antonio Dominguez, backed by a strong start from Matthew Malconian.
Ryan Johnson delivers with Hroši facing elimination
Johnson broke the game open in the third inning with a two-run home run, giving Hroši a lead they never surrendered. Dominguez later added another homer as Brno stretched the advantage to 5-1.
Malconian handled the early innings on the mound before Johnson helped close the game, completing a victory that extended the Czech Series to its maximum seven games.
The result also continued Johnson’s remarkable postseason. Czech Extraliga statistics list him with four playoff home runs and 12 RBIs, while Malconian leads the playoff field with two wins and has posted a 1.13 ERA.
A Czech Series that keeps changing direction
The final has swung repeatedly since Kotlářka won the opener 8-6 on September 4. Hroši responded with 4-3 and 9-4 victories to take a 2-1 series lead, only for Kotlářka to win twice in Brno, 7-2 and 3-1, and move within one victory of the title.
Sunday’s 5-1 response made it 3-3.
That leaves almost no separation between the finalists. Kotlářka finished the regular season first at 26-9, while Hroši went 22-13. Both clubs then survived their semifinal series to reach the championship round.
Everything comes down to Game 7 in Prague
The deciding game is scheduled for Saturday at Markéta Stadium, where three of the first six games have already been played. Czech Television has Game 7 listed for live coverage, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. local time.
For Kotlářka, it is another opportunity to finish a series it led 3-2. For Hroši, the path is dramatically different after surviving their first elimination game.
Six games have produced three wins apiece. The seventh will decide the 2026 Czech baseball champion.
